!PROTECT THE PALUXY!  ACTION #2

SEND EMAIL TO GREG ABBOTT

QUICK STEPS:

Prepare Your Email (template letter provided below)

​CC: info@protectpaluxy.com

Email Governor Abbott: using the link below!

https://gov.texas.gov/apps/contact-us/opinion

Letter Template:

Dear Governor Abbott,

The rapid expansion of data centers and gas-fired power plants across Texas has escalated into a crisis of resource security. While Texas remains a global energy leader, the current "AI boom" is threatening the very foundation of our state, our rural land and water sovereignty.

In Hood and Somervell Counties alone, there are nine known data center proposals, some exceeding 2,000 acres. This scale of development is unsustainable. The hydrological exhaustion caused by these facilities poses a direct threat to the groundwater our citizens depend on. What is the state’s plan for the thousands of Texans whose wells will run dry to cool these servers?

Furthermore, this industry moves in cycles. There is a high risk that in ten years, once the technology evolves, these massive facilities will be abandoned, leaving once-fertile Texas soil paved over and lost to agriculture forever. You witnessed the resilience of our legacy ranching and farming communities firsthand during your visit after the Chalk Mountain Fire. This generational land is now at risk of being permanently erased.

Our rural counties are unprepared for an industrial invasion of this magnitude and speed. We are being taken advantage of, and we need protection now.

I urge you to call an immediate special session to create legislation that protects our fertile land, groundwater, and property rights. This is a defining issue for the backbone of this state. We expect our leaders to prioritize the quality of life of Texans over the short-term demands of the AI industry.

Rural Texans are angry. This could be the issue that flips the State blue.

Respectfully,

(YOUR NAME)

!PROTECT THE PALUXY!  ACTION #1

Submit comments to TCEQ on permit requests for proposed 2,600 acre data center in the Paluxy Valley near Dinosaur Valley State Park.  It only takes a few minutes following the steps below.

Short Instructions for TCEQ Online Comment

You will repeat this process three times—once for each permit number: 181591, GHGPSDTX259, and PSDTX1680.

Step 1: Go to the Comment Portal
Click the link to open the TCEQ eComment page: https://www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/

Step 2: Search and Select the Permit

Enter one permit number (e.g., 181591) in the search box and click Search. Click the "Comment Now" button next to the matching application.

Step 3: Fill Out the Form
Enter your full contact information (Name, Address, Phone, Email). (This information becomes public record.)
In the comment box, write your concerns. Start with the Permit Number for clarity. To request further action, you must include a clear statement:
• For a public discussion: "I request a Public Meeting."
• For a formal hearing: "I request a Contested Case Hearing."

Step 4: Submit
Click the Submit button and confirm receipt. Repeat Steps 2-4 for the two remaining permit numbers.

Template:

Formal Opposition to Air Quality Permit#  (NRG Tolar Power Center) – Environmental and Hydrological Impact

To the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ):
I am writing to express my urgent opposition to the NRG Tolar Power Center. My objection is based on the irreversible damage this facility’s emissions and operations will cause to the delicate ecosystem of the Paluxy Valley and the water quality of the Paluxy River.

1. Acidification and Flora of the Paluxy River Basin

The proposed emissions of Nitrogen Oxides (NO_x) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO_2) are known precursors to acid rain. The Paluxy River and its tributaries support unique riparian vegetation and the ancient limestone formations of Dinosaur Valley State Park. Increased acidity in rainfall and runoff threatens the pH balance of the river, which can lead to:

• Degradation of the limestone riverbeds that preserve world-renowned dinosaur tracks.

• Harm to aquatic life, including native fish and macroinvertebrates that form the base of the local food chain.

2. Threats to Apex Predators and Endangered Species

The Paluxy Valley serves as a vital corridor for the Bald Eagle and is within the migratory and nesting range of the Golden-cheeked Warbler.

• Bioaccumulation: Particulate matter (PM2.5) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) do not stay in the air; they settle into the soil and water, entering the food web. For apex predators like the Bald Eagle, this poses a long-term reproductive threat.

• Habitat Fragmentation: The industrialization of this rural landscape, combined with constant noise and light pollution, will drive sensitive species away from their established nesting grounds.

3. Thermal Pollution and Water Table Integrity
While this is an air permit, the atmospheric discharge of heat and the massive water requirements for a 1.2 GW facility cannot be ignored. Any discharge or thermal runoff into the Paluxy River will lower dissolved oxygen levels, leading to potential fish kills and a loss of biodiversity in a river already stressed by Texas droughts.

4. Impact on Protected Lands (Dinosaur Valley State Park)

This facility is essentially an "industrial neighbor" to a state-protected primitive area. The TCEQ must evaluate the Cumulative Impact of these emissions on the air clarity and biological health of Dinosaur Valley. The park is not just a recreation area; it is a biological sanctuary that cannot coexist with the heavy industrial output of a massive gas-fired power plant.

I formally request that the TCEQ:
• Hold a Public Meeting in Hood County so that the community can voice their concerns in person.

• Grant a Contested Case Hearing for affected landowners and organizations like Protect The Paluxy Valley Inc.

• Perform a Comprehensive Environmental Impact Study specifically regarding the proximity to Dinosaur Valley State Park.

Alternatively, please deny this permit.

Respectfully,
[Your Name]

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